Liquid dispensing apparatus



3 Sheets-Sheet l R. R. TREXLER LIQUID DISPENS ING APPARATUS Filed Dec.

lllll III/I'll, IIIIIIIIIIuIII/I- B TOTHL INVENTOR. {zic/zardfi P 23161: W y M Feb. 16, 1943.

VII/Id i ATTORNEY Feb; 1943- R. R. TREXLER LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 19, 1938 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY-5.

Feb. 16, 1943. v R, R, REXLER 2,311,007

LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 19, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 N hfllllllllllll'llllllllllllllllll 11 WA INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY5.

Patented Feb. 16, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS Richard R. Trexler, Evanston, 111.

Application December 19, 1938, Serial No. 246,544

3 Claims.

This invention relates to liquid dispensing apparatus, and more particularly to cost indicating and registering mechanism therefor.

It is an object of the invention to provide im proved cost registering and indicating mechanism particularly adapted for use with gasoline dispensing apparatus; and more specifically to provide an improved and simplified change speed gearing construction for use with such devices.

Further objects of the invention are to 1.10- vide simplified and more readily operable ad- Justment means for changing the speed ratio of the change speed gearing, whereby to permit the calculation and. registration of the cos; of the dispensed liquid at difierent preselected unit prices; and to provide improved and simplified setting and indicating mechanisms in association therewith.

The mechanism hereinafter specifically setforth embodies a liquid dispensing apparatus for gasoline, and in accordance with the invention a change speed gearing of the cone gear type is provided which will permit price calculation in increments of one-tenth of a cent over the full range through which the price of gasoline may be expected to fluctuate. Only two takeof! gear trains are provided for cooperation with the cone gears, thereby simplifying the gearing mechanism and permitting the use of simplified price setting and price indicating means.

Other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the following specification when taken in connection with th accompanying drawings wherein one preferre embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout:

Fig. 1 is a general assembly, partly in section, of a liquid dispensing apparatus for gasoline embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, on the line 2-2 thereof. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the cone gearing, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 5 is a transverse view of the gearing, on

the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a view of the differential and gearing mechanisms, Fig. 6 being a continuation of the upper part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. '7 is a transverse view of the difierential gearing, being taken on the line 1-1 of Fig.

'6, and

, Figs. 8 and 9 are detail views of one of the take-off gear trains which cooperate with the cone gearing, the gear train being shown in inoperative position, Fig. 9 being taken on the line 8--9 of Fig. 8.

Referring to Fig. 1, the apparatus illustrated comprises an underground tank l0 adapted to receive the liquidto be dispensed, which will be gasoline in the particular instance shown. A pipe ll leads from the underground tank to a pump l2 driven by suitable gearing l3 from an electric motor or other power source H. The outlet of the pump leads, by means of a pipe l5, to an air release mechanism l6 which has its outlet connected to a pipe ll leading to a meter 18. The outlet of the meter is connected to a pipe l9 leading thr'1gh a sight glass to a flexible hose 2| terminating in a valve controlled dispensing nozzle 22. The dispensing nozzle is adapted to be supported upon a support hook 23 which has its inner end connected to a link 21 leading to a switch 25 for controlling the current to the electric motor M. The above elements may be of the usual type provided in gasoline liquid dispensing apparatus. In operation the pump i2, driven by the motor" l4, pumps the gasoline from the underground tank l0 through the air release mechanism IS, the. meter 13, the sight 20, and .then through the dispensing nozzle 22. In apparatus of this type the motor 14 is operated only upon manipulation of the hook 23, after removal of the hose nozzle. The liquid passes through the meter l8 only when the nozzle valve is open, any excess liquid pumped by the pump 12 being bypassed back to the inlet side of the pump.

In accordance with the invention a shaft 21, driven by the meter l8 in proportion to the liquid flow, is connected to a bank of cone gears 28. The gears may conveniently be die-cast in the form of a single casting, if desired. The shaft 21 extends upwardly beyond the cone gears and terminates in a bevel gear 29 arranged to drive a level gear 30 secured to a shaft 3|. The shat 3| is adapted to drive a gearing 32 connected to a volume register 33 for indicating the number of gallons of liquid dispensed. A sleeve 34 loosely journaled on shaft 21 carries a bevel gear 35 operating a bevel gear 36 secured to a shaft 31. This shalt drives a gearing 38 adapted to opera e a cost register 39 for indicating the total cost of the dispensed liquid. The particular form or the registers 33 and 39 constitutes no part of the present invention. They may be of any suitable construction, for

example of the type shown in the patent to E. J. Svenson, Liquid handling mechanism, No. 2,117,750, dated May 17, 1938, and are preferably provided with the usual forms of resetting mechanisms and the like. The present invention concerns more particularly the means for driving the sleeve 84 which operates the cost register, and the unit price indicating mechanism, adapted to be exhibited through the housing, as shown at 48.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, and particularly to Fig. 4, in the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated, the cone bank 28 comprises forty-two gears, the smallest gear 4| at the top of the cone being an 8-tooth gear and the largest gear 42 at the bottom of the cone being a 90- tooth gear. The gears from the smaller to the larger end of the cone are of progressively increasing size in increments of two teeth. That is, the gear 43 immediately adjacent the gear 41 has ten teeth, the gear 44 twelve teeth, the gear 45 fourteen teeth and so on. This bank of gears may be used to calculate the gasoline cost from 4 to 45.9 per gallon in increments of one-tenth of a cent, as will be later shown.

The cone gears are adapted to operate two take-oil gears 48 and 41, the gear 48 being the cents gear and the gear 41 being used for calculating tenths of cents. The gear 48 is rotatably mounted upon a shaft 48 carried at the inner end of a bracket 48 rotatably and slidably journaled upon an upstanding shaft 80. The bracket also carries a gear in geared engagement with the gear 46. Gear 8| may be freely moved longitudinally of the shaft 58 with the bracket 49, but any rotational movement, imparted to gear 5| correspondingly rotates the shaft 80 by means of the key connection 50. The outer end of the bracket carries an extending pin 53 which serves as a handle for positioning the bracket longitudinally and rotatably of the shaft 80 whereby to bring the gear 48 into meshing engagement with any selected gear upon the cone bank 28. A curved locking plate 54 of triangular shape, as perhaps best shown in Fig. 4, is

arranged adjacent the bracket 49, the plate being provided with a series of holes 58 adapted to receive a pin 88 removably carried by the outer end of the bracket. By means of the handle 53, the bracket may be moved longitudinally and rotatably of shaft 58 to bring the gear 48 into engagement with any selected gear on the cone bank, and the openings 55 in the locking plate 54 are so spaced and arranged that the bracket may be locked in each of its selective operative positions by passing the removable pin 88 through the corresponding opening 55 and into the end of the bracket. When it is desired to entirely disengage the take-off gear 48 from the cone bank, the bracket is lowered to its extreme position and then rotated clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 5, to cause the teeth of the gear wheel 48 to engage a locking tooth 51. The bracket may be locked in such clockwise position by causing the pin 56 to engage with a notch 58 formed in-locking plate 54 for this purpose.

The mounting for the tenths takeeoil' gear 41 is substantially similar and comprises a bracket 58 rotatably and slidably mounted upon a shaft 88. The bracket carried a handle 8| and a locking pin 82 adapted to cooperate with openings 88 formed in a locking plate 84. A gear 88 keyed to the shaft 88 meshes with the gear 41. The bracket may be rotatably and longitudinally adjusted with respect to the shaft 88 to bring the take-oil gear 41 into selective engagement with the cone gears, and in its lowermost position the bracket is rotatable clockwise to disengage the take-off gear from the cone gears and bring it into engagement with a stationary locking tooth 88, all as previously described. In Figs. 8 and 9 the parts are shown with the gear 41 and tooth 68 in locking engagement. While the mounting constructions for the take-off gears 48 and 41 are generally similar, in the case of the tenths" gear 41 the arrangement is such that the take-off gear may be engaged with only certain of the gears of the cone bank. More specifically take-oil gear 41 may be engaged with cone gear 43 having ten teeth, cone gear 81 having twenty teeth, gear 88 having thirty teeth, and gears 89, 18, 1|, 12, 18 and having forty, fifty, sixty. seventy, eighty and ninety teeth respectively. The openings 88 in the locking plate 84 are so positioned as to permit this manner of engagement.

The mechanism operated by the rotation of shafts 50 and 68 is best shown in Figs. 8 and 7. This mechanism comprises a differential gearing construction by which the movement of shafts 88 and 88 is combined in predetermined ratio, the combined movement being transmitted to the sleeve 84 which operates the cost register. The

tenths shaft 88 carries a gear 18 at its upper end, in mesh with a gear 18 loosely Journaled on the shaft 21. A gear 11 is integral with gear 18, the two gears being'connected by a sleeve 18. The "tens shaft 50 carries a gear 18 at its upper end in mesh with a gear 88 loosely Journaled on the sleeve 18. Gear is provided with a pair of oppositely extending arms 8| and 82 carrying shafts 83 and 84 respectively. Shaft 88 carries a pair of gears 85 and 88 which rotate as a unit upon the shaft. Similarly shaft 84 carries two gears 81 and 88 rotatable as a unit. Gears 81 and 85 both mesh with the gear 11, whereas gears 88 and 88 both mesh with a gear 88 formed as an integral part of the driving sleeve 84. The above described mechanism constitutes a differential gearing-for combining the movements of the shafts 58 and 80, and transmitting the combined movement to the sleeve 84. Rotary movement imparted to gear 18 by the gear 18 causes the rotation of gear 11. Rotary motion imparted to the gear 80 by gear 18 causes the bodily or planetary movement of gears 88 and 81 around gear 11. The resultant movement which will be imparted to gear 89 through gears 88 and 88 is the summation of the movements of the two sets of gearing.

In operation as the cone bank 28 is rotated by the meter shaft, rotation will be imparted to the" take-off gears 48 and 41 at a speed determined by the size of the gears on the cone with which the take-off gears are selectively engaged.- The rotary movements of gears 48 and 41 are transmitted to the shafts 88 and 88 and then through the differential gearing to the cost sleeve 34. The gear ratio of the differential gearing is 50 to 1. That is, the movement which will be imparted to sleeve 34 when the "cents" take-off gear 48 is engaged with any given gear of the cone bank will be fifty times as great as the movement which will be imparted to the sleeve if the tenths gear 41 were engaged with the same cone gear. If the tenths gear 41 is engaged with the smallest gear of the cone bank with which it is engageable, the Iii-tooth gear 48, the proportioning of the parts is such that onetenth of a cent will be registered --upon the cost register when one gallon of liquid has passed through the meter I0. The cost of the gasoline is thus computed at one-tenth of a cent per gallon, If the gear 41 is engaged with its-next larger engageable gear, gear 01 having twenty teeth, the cost register will be driven twice as fast, computation being made at two-tenths of a cent per gallon. Similarly gear 41 may be selectively engaged with cone gears 08, 80, 10, etc. to compute at three-tenths, four-tenths, five-tenths etc. per gallon up to and including computation at nine-tenths of a cent per gallon when the takeoff gear 41 is meshed with the largest gear 42 having ninety teeth. If the cents gear 48 is meshed with gear 40, computation will be made at 5 per gallon, fifty times the one-tenth computation which is made when take-off gear 41 is meshed with this same cone gear. If the cent's take-off gear 48 is meshed with the mallest cone gear 4|, having eight teeth, computation will be made at 4 per gallon. Similarly the gear 48 may be selectively engaged with any of the cone gears from the smallest gear 4| to the largest gear 42 to compute from a range of 4 to 45 inclusive. If both take-off gears 48 and 41 are engaged with the cone gears, the movement imparted to sleeve 04 will be the sum of the two shaft movements. In the position shown in Fig. 4 computation will be made at l0.8 per gallon. When it is desired to compute in even cents, the tenths" take-off gear 41 is disengaged from the cone bank and locked to its locking tooth 80.

It will be seen that by means of the mechanism provided computation may be made from 4 to 45.9 per gallon in one-tenth of a cent incremeats, which is more than ample for the normal price fluctuation of retail gasoline- At the same time only two take-01f gearing mechanisms for cooperation with the cone bank are provided. Accordingly it is necessary to provide but a single differential gearing, materially simplifying the mechanism as compared with devices employing three take-off gear trains and two differential mechanisms. Further, the setting of price by the operator is materially simplified, it being necessary merely to set two take-oil gears, one for the whole "cents, and one for the tenths of cents." Suitable designations may be placed opposite the locking holes 00 and 00. To compute at 18.6 per gallon the operator would merely be required to set the cents gear to the 18 position and the tenths gear to the position. All confusion incident to the setting of two separate shafts to compute the 18 increment is eliminated. The smallest gear which it is necessary to provide is the 8-tooth gear 4|, which may be feasibly manufactured and which will impart uniform speed to the take-off gear. The largest gear provided is the gear 42 having ninety teeth, which is not too large for convenient assembly within the housing.

The unit price indicating mechanism is best shown in Figs. 2. 3, 4 and 6. Referring to Fig. 6, a pair of sleeves 00 and 0| are loosely journaled on the upper ends of the shafts 00 and 80 respectively. A collar 02 is secured to the lower portion of sleeve 00, which collar has a radiallyv extending projection 00 terminating in a vertically extending slotted arm 04.- The handle 00 extends through the slot in this arm, as best shown in Figs. 4 and 5. As the take-off gear is selectively engaged with the different vertical gears of the cone bank, the handle 03 assumes different radial positions corresponding to the diameter of the particular cone gear engaged. In other words, handle 50 has a given radial position for its engagement with each cone gear. Due to the connection between the handle 00 and the arm 04, the positioning of the handle will be transmitted to the sleeve 00, so that the sleeve will have a predetermined position corresponding to each engaged cone gear.

A gear 00 is secured to the upper end of sleeve 00. This gear meshes with a smaller gear 08 having a gear 01 integral therewith. The gear 81 meshes with a smaller gear 00 to which a tape drum 00 is secured. Due to the gearing connection 00 00, 01 and 08, a partial revolution of the sleeve 00 will cause several rotations of the tape drum 00. A tape I00 is arranged on the drum 00, and leads from the drum around positioning pins IOI past a window I02 to a take-up drum I00. The take-up drum is provided with a spring mechanism for keeping the tape tight. The tape drum 00 is provided with a second tape I04 arranged above the tape I00.

'The tape I04 leads past a window I00 arranged on the opposite side of the housing to a springurged take-up roller I00. The tapes I00 and I04 carry appropriate "cents price designations in a position to be exhibited through the windows I02 and I05. It will be seen that as the sleeve 00 is positioned from the handle 00, the tape drum 80 will be rotated to bring the proper V price designation to a display position through the windows corresponding to the price position of the handle 03. To insure the proper positioning of the tapes, the drum 00 may be provided on its lower surface with a series of spaced depressions I01 adapted to be engaged by a spring-pressed pin I08, as best shown in Figs. 2 and'6. When the pin I00 engages one of the depressions, the designations on the tapes will be properly centered with respect to the windows I02 and I05.

The mechanism for indicating the tenths of cents" is substantially similar and comprises a slotted arm I00 secured to the lower portion of sleeve 0| and adapted to be positioned by the handle 0| for the tenths" take-oi! gear 41. The 'upper end of sleeve 0| carries a gear IIO in engagement with a smaller gear III secured to a tape drum III, the arrangement being such that a partial revolution of the sleeve 0| causes the appropriate required movement of the tape drum. The drum carries an upper tape IIS leading past window I05 to a take-up roller 4, and a lower tape I I0 which leads under tape I04 around positioning pins H0, and past the window I02 to a take-up drum II1. Inasmuch as tape II! is below tape I04, no interference will result. Tapes I I0 and II! carry the tenths of cents indication and are appropriately displayed in the windows I02 and I00 as the tenths take-off gear is positioned. Drum II2 may be positioned with positioning mechanism H0, H0 as in the case of drum 00.

As best shown in Fig. 1, the "cents designations will appear through one window and the tenths of cents" designations through an adiacent window in the housing. The tapes permil; the two designations to be brought into close proximity so that they may be easily read. Further, in view of the fact that all of the whole cents are controlled from a single take-off gear mechanism, a single tape may be used to indicate the whole cents as distinguished from an arrangement employing two take-off gear mechanisms for the cents wherein the parts of any cent designation having two figures must be controlled from separate mechanisms. The arrangement of the entire cents designation upon a single tape or dial facilitates accurate reading.

It is obvious that various changes may be made in the specific embodiment set forth without departing from the spirit of the invention."

The invention is accordingly not to be limited to the specific embodiment shown and described, but only as indicated in the following claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A liquid dispensing apparatus having provisions for measuring liquid and calculating the cost thereof in increments of one-tenth of a cent over a price range exceeding a differential of ten cents, said apparatus comprising a meter operated in accordance with the amount of liquid dispensed, a cost register driven by the meter, and change speed gearing mechanism interposed in the driving connections between the meter and the cost register, said change speed gearing having a bank of cone gears of continuously increasing size from one end to the other thereof and only two take-ofi gears adapted for cooperation therewith.

2. A liquid dispensing apparatus having provisions for measuring liquid and calculating the cost thereof in increments of one-tenth of a cent over a price range exceeding a difierential of ten cents, said apparatus comprising a meter operated in accordance with the amount of liquid dispensed, a cost register driven by the meter, change speed gearing mechanism interposed in the driving connections between the meter and the cost register, said change speed gearing having a bank of cone gears of continuously increasing size from one end to the other thereof and only two take-oi! gears adapted for cooperation therewith, and a pair of selectively operable price setting mechanisms for setting said take-011' gears, one setting mechamsm being cooperable with each gear.

3. A liquid dispensing apparatus having provisions for measuring liquid and calculating the cost thereof in increments of one-tenth of a cent overa price range exceeding a diiIerential of ten cents, said apparatus comprising a meter operated in accordance with the amount of liquid dispensed, a cost register driven by the meter, change speed gearing mechanism interposed in the driving connections between the meter and the cost register, said change speed gearing having a bank of cone gears of continuously increasing size from one end to the other thereof and only two take-of! gears adapted for cooperation therewith, and a pair of unit price indicating dials controlled by the position of the take-0ft gears with respect to the cone bank, one dial being operated by each take-oi! gear.

RICHARD R. TREXLER. 

